Sweating for the Wedding: Wrap-up

April 18, 2013Crystal Conde Zuzek

I’m happy to report my March 2 wedding was a tremendous success! I’m currently basking in the glow of newlywed bliss (which I’m told wears off eventually). Now that I’m no longer “Sweating for the Wedding,” I thought it appropriate to discuss the role exercise played in keeping me slim during the days leading up to the big day. I wore a gorgeous form-fitting gown, and I felt like a princess wearing it. I can’t imagine feeling self-conscious about my appearance on one of the most important days of my life. I credit my workouts at Dancers Shape and my twice-weekly sessions with trainers at the UT Fitness Institute with helping me realize fitness results above and beyond what I imagined.

I’m a true believer in the Dancers Shape “shrink-wrap” effect. If you’ve been consistently exercising at the studio for a few months, you probably know what I’m talking about. All those classes paid off, giving me a tighter, more defined physique. It looks like I’ve been encased with invisible plastic wrap! To be clear, I was never overweight, but I definitely had room for improvement.

One of the many nice things about Dancers Shape is that it can serve as a person’s sole exercise source, or it can be an excellent cross-training addition. The latter approach seems to work best for me. The UT Fitness Institute Get FIT program I participate in through my job ensures I train with weights and get some cardiovascular exercise at least twice a week. At the end of each 12-week session, the Fitness Institute measures my progress with a Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) body scan. I received my scan in November, in the thick of planning for my wedding. I was pleasantly surprised by my results. Thanks to the hard work I put in at Dancers Shape and with Get FIT, I made the following progress in one year:

• Lost at total of 5 percent body fat,

• Lost 7 pounds,

• Lost 4 percent body fat in my arms,

• Lost 3 percent body fat in my legs,

• Lost 4 percent body fat in my hips and glutes, and

• Lost 7 percent body fat in my abdomen.

The accomplishment that stands out to me is the 7 percent reduction of body fat I achieved in my midsection alone. I know women can especially empathize with how difficult it is to blast away the muffin top. I’m certain my workouts at Dancers Shape played a pivotal role in helping me shave off the pounds around my middle. I dropped one pant size, and for the first time in a while, I felt confident about my bikini body while honeymooning in Kauai.

About the Author

Crystal Zuzek is an Austin-based writer with more than a decade of experience in the journalism industry. She graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism in the magazine sequence. In her free time, she enjoys sewing, going to movies and concerts, and spending time with her husband, Patrick, and her dachshund mix, Saffron.